No gentlemen here: 5 infamous sledging episodes

Bangalore, Jul 26: Cricket is also referred to as the gentlemen's game, but over the years there have been enough instances to say that it is hardly so. Like any other sports, here too players have resorted to verbal insults in order to put their opponents under pressure. According to Steve Waugh, it was 'mental disintegration' of an opponent while to the rest of the cricketing world, it was simply sledging. But to a layman, it was nothing other than verbal insults of the kind they face day in and day out at office, public transports or even from their spouse.

Off late, probably due to the advent of IPL, players have become friendlier and in the process they are avoiding verbal conflicts with opposition players. But a journey down the memory lane and there will be enough instances of the not-so-pleasant 'mental disintegration.' So here are our choices of the top five sledging or verbal insults in a cricket field.

No.5: The ugly spat between Ramnaresh Sarwan and Glenn McGrath has been well-documented as one of the most heated arguments on a cricket field. So here is the conversation that fired off the clash:

No.4: During the Lords Test of 1989, Merv Hughes, the Australian fast bowler was bowling as good as ever. Frustrated as another just went past the edge of the bat of England batsman Robin Smith, Hughes snarled, 'Mate, you can't bat'. Smith then dispatched the next delivery for a boundary and responded, "Hey Merv, we'd make a fine pair. I can't bat and you can't bowl."No.3: Fred Truman, the English fast-bowling legend was not the one to spare his team-mates, never mind the other team, if he thought they'd done him wrong. After an outside edge flew through the legs of Raman Subba Row at slip, he went up to apologise and said, "Sorry Fred, I should have kept my legs together." Truman shot back, "So should your mother."

No.2: Eddo Brandes, the burly fast bowler who batted at number 11 for Zimbabwe, was surviving in an entirely haphazard fashion. Glenn McGrath, who was the bowler at this instance was completely exasperated. He then strolled upto him Brandes and asked: "Eddo, why are you so fat?" Brandes, promptly replied: "Because every time I make love to your wife, she gives me a biscuit."

No.1: Former English all-rounder Ian Botham was always a tough nut to crack. In this instance, when he came to the crease Australian wicket-keeper Rod Marsh said cheerfully: 'How's your wife and my kids?' Botham is said to have replied: "The wife's fine. The kids are retarded."